A Little Luck
by taitofan
Summary: Battle Frontier isn't really the place for a coordinator, but using her skills and a bit of luck, Hikari just might make it through the Battle Tube in one piece...and perhaps find love at the same time.


A Little Luck

by taitofan

Rated PG-13 for yuri and the _lightest _hints of yaoi

Disclaimer: Pokémon isn't mine, whether we're taking games, anime, manga, or cards. I just play puppet master with them.

Author's notes: This fic…is so overdue that it makes me sick. It was supposed to be a present for a birthday _last year_, and here it is, a year later, in time for _this_ birthday. Oy vey. It definitely gave me some troubles, but now it's done and I'm pretty happy with it… I just hope my birthday girl likes it! So sorry I took so long dear. I hope it's worth the wait. Ah, about the battling… I highly skimp on it, since I'm not good at it. And a lot of the dialogue? Taken directly from the game. The humor? Ah, what can I say? I'm odd. But as long as one ubersuperspecial person likes it, everything is okay. Also, I might mention that this is entirely based on the game universe, not the anime. So though I gave Hikari some similarities to her anime counterpart, as you will see, it's not her.

Dedicated to Vycksta, the best girlfriend a girl could have. Happy Birthday, love.

Flames do nothing but make me laugh, although I'll listen to any CC you have. Please read, review, and enjoy! Finished 09-06-07

* * *

Hikari sighed as she walked around the amusement park-esque complex. Battle Frontier… What a joke. No one who trained their pokémon just for fun could survive here. Only the most cut-throat trainers who cared more about winning than their actual pokémon could make it here, and certainly not a coordinator such as herself… Though she supposed that was unfair of her. She'd come because Jun and Kouki had wanted to visit while they were in Houen. They'd come with Kurotsugu, who had a meeting with Houen's own Battle Tower expert—a girl named Rira. Something about discussing an inter-region tournament…

She didn't really know. She had been paying more attention to her blond best friend's jealousy of his father meeting with a girl than to the specifics. All she knew was that Kouki was off trying to beat one of these crazy attractions, Jun was off trying to spy on his dad, and she was…standing outside a building shaped like a Habunake.

"Wow," she murmured as she peered up at the intricate structure. Was this one of the facilities? Who would build a place shaped like that? …Who would want to _walk into_ a building shaped like that?

"You don't want to go in there." Hikari looked up to have at least _one_ of her answers—obviously, Kouki would go into a place shaped like that, considering he just came out of it.

"And why's that?" The brunet looked rather put off as he glanced over his shoulder to the pokémon-shaped building before turning back to her and shrugging.

"That's the Battle Tube. You go in, and you pick one of three doors seven times. There's a bunch of crazy things going on in there… And you need to go through twice before you can even meet the Frontier Brain. I was two rooms away when half of my team was poisoned, then my poor pokémon got creamed in the next to last room, just when we were about to taste victory…" He paused, an irritated look on his face, and she had to bite back a grin. He was such a drama queen sometimes… "Anyways, I'm going to get the poor things healed, then I'll look for Jun. Any idea where he is?"

"My guess," she said with the amusement she'd been hiding spilling into her tone, "would be at the Battle Tower looking for Kurotsugu."

"Oh… I wonder why he's looking for his dad when he could be out having fun…" Hikari wisely chose to keep her mouth shut. "Alright, I'm off. Have fun Hikari!" She waved as he ran off, and then turned back to the Battle Tube. If a trainer specializing in gyms couldn't make it through, she probably couldn't either… But who knew? Maybe luck would be on her side…

With that thought in mind, she headed towards the entrance, trying not to think about what she was getting herself into.

* * *

The inside of the tube was very gorgeously decorated. Golden statues, rich blood red curtains, attendants dressed as maids… Whoever this Brain was, they had good taste. But there was no time to dawdle… She headed to the woman standing at what she assumed was the start of the challenge.

"Hello. Is this where I go in to challenge the Battle Tube?" The maid-like attendant smiled distantly at her as she nodded.

"Where the luck of the trainers is put to the test… Welcome to the Battle Tube… I am your guide… Are you sure you'd like to take the challenge?" She was…odd. But Hikari nodded nonetheless.

"Yeah, I'm sure…"

"Then please choose the three pokémon you'll be entering…" Three, huh? Okay, she knew just the ones…

"I choose Glacia, Etebosu, and Roserade." Roserade was capable of healing himself from status effects when he switched out, Glacia's special attacks were off the charts, and Etebosu was fast and physically strong. Their attacks covered most types too.

"Very well… Please step this way…" Hikari wasn't sure she wanted to follow someone who acted like she was high as a kite inside a building shaped like a giant Habunake, but she didn't voice her concerns and instead followed obediently. If she could get one up on Kouki… Well, she could live off that for years. In the next room, they stopped before an entrance in the curtains. "Your challenge has begun…" She said nothing nor did anything after that. The coordinator took that as her cue and walked though the gap. The curtains closed behind her, and she found herself in a room with three more entrances. There were two women in the room as well, both dressed as the first woman had been. She ignored the first one by the door and went straight towards the one by the curtains.

"I beg you pardon, but…" Hikari hadn't said a word, but she listened closely regardless. "Are you perhaps finding it difficult to choose your path?" Honestly, she hadn't thought about it. She was just going to go in the middle one…

"Uh, sure…" The woman nodded wisely at her answer.

"Ah, let me see… There is something about the path on the right… It seems to have the distinct aroma of pokémon wafting around it…" …Yeah, that made a _lot_ of sense…

"Thanks…" She decided to quickly go through the right gap; that didn't sound like a very threatening room…

Inside was a maze of golden monster ball statues, just as the front room had. As she walked though, she met with wild Samayouru and Milokaross. Roserade made quick work of the elegant water pokémon, and its Shadow Ball attack handled the ghost pokémon with ease. She was out of the room and in another hall of three paths within a matter of minutes.

'_Well, that wasn't too hard…_'

"There is something about the path in the center…" …And this woman didn't even let her finish walking over. "I seem to have heard something… It may have been whispering…" Well, it didn't seem like they could be more cryptic if they _tried_. Still, this seemed even less dangerous than the first one, so in the center she went.

She found herself face to face with an older woman with a bunch of plush dolls of pokémon, and a man with a bug net. They uttered some nonsense about not knowing how they were feeling and meditating, then sent out their pokémon—a Soonano and a Ziguzaguma. It was obviously her cue to battle…

…And she ended it about a minute later after Etebosu and Roserade—no stranger to double battles—kicked the opponents' behinds. The odd trainers ran off after babbling more nonsense, leaving her to continue on. The next set of paths got her the exact message as the first time, so she decided to be spontaneous an d take the left path—the only one she hadn't done yet…

She entered a room just like the last one, though this time there was only a young schoolboy inside, who told her that he did more than study, then sent out his Tyltto. She sent out Glacia, and one Ice Beam later, the small flying pokémon had fainted. Next was his Karakara, which went down to Glacia's Water Pulse. Last was Coil. Here, she withdrew her trusty ice pokémon and instead sent out Etebosu. A few of her Brick Breaks later, the opponent was out of pokémon, leaving him to mutter about need to study more as he fled, and her to smile as she entered the next path room. Honestly, what had Kouki been complaining about…?

She didn't even give the next woman a chance to say anything before she entered the center path. Inside was a room like the last two, but instead of a trainer, there was another attendant.

"Welcome… You must be commended for your luck…" By now, Hikari was seriously beginning to wonder if everyone in this tube was completely insane. "Your pokémon shall be restored to full health…" Well, that was nice at least. Not that they really needed— Wait. How was she going to do that…? "I urge you to enjoy the rest of your challenge…" She ran off, leaving Hikari exactly as she had been when she entered the room. How could her pokémon have been healed…? She decided not to think about it, and she instead moved on.

To the left this time! And inside…she almost had a heart attack. An old man was inside the room, and a Kirlia zipped about until it was inches from her.

"Oh my! Watch out!" Before she could do anything, Kirlia spread it's arms and a wave of purple mist spread out. She covered her mouth as she coughed—she recognized this attack. Toxic. "Look here! That's quite enough!" He picked up his Kirlia and sighed as he shook his head. "I must apologize to you… My Kirlia has a timid nature… It attacks without warning if it's startled by another person… Are you and your pokémon all right?" That was a good question… She called them out, only to find that all three were poisoned. Figured. She'd just had them mysteriously healed and now they were all poisoned… Roserade would be fine, but the other two… She ignored the man's further apologies and hurried to the next room. If she was lucky, she'd find another healing room…

To the right this time. It was a lady with a Baneboo, Hanecco, and Casey. She had Roserade take them all out as he cured himself of poisoning. She'd have to save the others for emergencies so they would faint from poison all the quicker… But she must be getting close to the end, she knew it… She ran out of the room as the lady complained about her boyfriend crossed her fingers as she went to the left.

"Welcome… You must be commended for your luck…" She silently cheered—she'd never been so happy to hear those words. The attendant healed her pokémon of their poisoning, and this time, she didn't question it. Whatever could possibly happen next…?

Hikari took her time getting to the next room, determined to make a good choice, only to find herself in a room with a sole attendant—the same one that she'd first met. Was she really done all seven rooms already?

"Congratulations…" …Why yes, it seemed that she had indeed. "Now, this way, please…" She followed her, only to find that the room led back to the front room. Strange… But then again, so was everything in this place. "You have completed the challenge… I must say… You seem to possess luck in abundance… In recognition of your amazing luck, we award you this one Battle Point… We look forward to seeing you on another occasion…"

…And that was it. She said no more, and Hikari was left with one measly Battle Point and no audience with the Frontier Brain Kouki had been so excited about. Sure, she knew she had to go through twice for that, but really, only one point? What a rip-off… Well, only one thing to do then!

"Where the luck of the trainers is put to the test…"

* * *

Using Erlade, Lucario, and Glacia, Hikari went through a trainer battle with a boy in an inner tube, a maze with wild pokémon, a man who magically restored two of her pokémon's health, a Samayouru that froze Erlade and Lucario with Ice Beam like the Kirlia who'd poisoned her team before, a trainer battle with a level sixty Kemusso who allowed Erlade to thaw, a woman who healed her pokémon, and a trainer battle against a camper boy who was another pushover. Then…

"I am sorry to say…" Well, this was different. "A terrifying event, yes, a horrible one, is about to befall you… I urge you to pay the utmost care and prepare for the worst…" This must be it… That elusive Frontier Brain had to be next she just knew it! This was her chance to prove to Kouki once and for all that coordinators were no pushovers! With triumphant smirk, she entered though the center path, and again met with the attendant from the front room.

"I welcome you… Since you have chosen this room, I will restore two pokémon to full health…" Somehow, just that happened, but Hikari was past caring how it was possible. "I shall go fetch our master…"

Their master huh? Hikari supposed that meant the Frontier Brain was a man. It was no problem though. If he was as easy as his Battle Tube had been, then she's have no problems kicking his as—

The rustle of the curtains caught her attention, and she looked up just in time to see the so-called "master" walk in… And obviously, she'd been right about the attendants being off their rockers, because that was most definitely a _mistress_. In walked a tall woman with long black hair accentuated by two red stripes that matched her almond-shaped crimson eyes. She wore a purple sleeveless top that showed her midriff, matching long purple gloves and high-heeled boots, and black pants with a yellow zigzag belt. She appeared to be cosplaying as Habunake… Whatever her intention, one thing was perfectly clear—she was _gorgeous_.

"Your luck… I hope you didn't use it all up here…" Hikari couldn't seem to get her vocal chords to work as she stared openly at the beauty before her. Though she talked like her attendant, her tone was filled with boredom, not the after effects of illegal drugs. Her voice was rich and beautiful, just like she was. "I am Tube Queen Azami. Are you ready to fight child?" Hikari got her brain working enough to nod and grab a monster ball from her waist. This was it…

"My name is Hikari, and my luck is fine!" Azami's bored expression didn't change, but there was a slight glint in her eyes that hadn't been there before. Hikari just couldn't lose… She had to prove herself to Kouki now…and Azami too.

"Very well… Habunake, go!" Fitting choice…

"Erlade, let's go!"

* * *

Erlade beat Habunake. Tsubotsubo beat Erlade. Glacia beat Tsubotsubo. Milokaross beat Glacia. As for Lucario versus Milokaross…

"Lucario, Aura Sphere!" His body glowed pale blue, and despite the fact that Milokaross had just used Recover, the powerful blast of energy that hit was too much. After a close battle, Azami was out of pokémon. That meant Hikari had won! Her, a coordinator, had managed to beat a Frontier Brain!

"Urk…" Hikari's elation was short lived as Azami let out a surprised noise, then quickly spun on her heel and stalked out. …That was it? She beat such an important—and sexy—person and that was all she got? No handshake? No congratulations? Nothing? Needless to say, she was highly disappointed…

"Congratulations… You have snatched victory from the Tube Queen and cleared the event…" The voice of the first woman she'd met in the Battle Tube stopped her moping before it could go far. "In recognition of your amazing luck, here is the Silver Luck Symbol…" She was handed a small silver disk that looked much like a gym badge. On it, an L was engraved.

"Thank you… But…the _Silver_ Luck Symbol? Does that mean there's more than one?" The woman nodded soberly.

"Yes… The Luck Symbol can be upgraded to Gold by going through the Battle Tube ten times and beating Tube Queen Azami again." …Ten times?

Well… Okay.

"Where the luck of the trainers is put to the test, right?" The woman let out the mildest of smiles and led her back to the entrance.

* * *

Ten times. _Ten times_ she'd gone through that tube, and she'd yet to be defeated. She'd never really considered herself a lucky person, but she was beginning to change her mind. Helping to disband Ginga Dan, catching legendaries, mastering Super Contests… She'd chalked all of that up to skill. But this…this was different. They didn't keep mentioning luck for nothing, certainly not.

Now… "I shall go fetch our master…" …another familiar line. This entire tube was one big case of deja-vu, but they were words she'd longed to hear regardless. This "master," Azami, was the only reason she'd wasted her entire day here. And this time, she was determined to get more than a dozen words out of her.

"Hmm. You're back." Speak of the devil… Hikari snapped out of her musings and decided that if this woman was the devil, she'd have to start sinning more often… Then she remembered that she had a mission and pushed those thoughts aside.

"Of course. You ran away last time. Not scared of a little girl are you?" Rather than respond to the taunt, Azami calmly grabbed a monster ball from her belt and enlarged it, the slightest hint of a smile on her face.

"Ready?" Hikari took her own monster ball and did the same, the grin that graced her face far more noticeable. Luck was on her side today…she just knew it.

"Ready!" And the battle of luck was on.

* * *

Hikari came armed with three pokémon—two veterans to the Tube and one new. Roserade took out Haganeil, but was taken down by Gyarados, who then was beaten by Rentoraa. Then was the only repeat on Azami's team—Habunake. Hikari figured she had it won no problem…until Rentoraa was easily knocked out.

'_She must have more than one_…' Hikari mused as she sent out her last chance…Etebosu. Her speed and physical strength made her the best physical attacker on Hikari's team, as well as the fastest. Hikari just hoped it was enough…

"Etebosu, Super Strength!" The purple pokémon zipped in and lifted up the unsuspected adversary with her hand-like tails, smashing it into the ground. Unfortunately…

"Poison Jab." At such a close proximity, Habunake was able to hit its target with ease as well. Etebosu's face twisted with the pain of being poisoned, and there was Hikari, with her last pokémon, not able to use items…

'_No, not now, not when I'm so close. Where's my luck now? I—_' She was snapped from her thoughts as Habunake sent Etebosu flying from an unseen attack. '_No, no being distracted and no feeling sorry for myself. I don't need luck, I have the skill to win!_'

"Psycho Shift!" It was a gamble, but one she would bet on. With skill, this could be done, but it had to be done _quickly_. And quickly was something Etebosu could do. A bright light surrounded Etebosu, causing Azami to shield her eyes. It faded just as quickly as it came, leaving Hikari's pokémon looking healthy once more, and Azami's worse for the wear. "Now quick, before Shed Skin kicks in, one more Super Strength!" Etebosu was ready. She rushed in, and this time, Habunake was too distracted by the poison to counterattack, allowing her to use every ounce of strength she had to throw it into the nearest wall.

There was a moment of no movement, no sound, and then…

"Tube Queen Azami is out of usable pokémon. The challenger is the winner." Never before was Hikari so happy to hear that misty voice! She rushed over to her loyal pokémon and picked her up, hugging her tightly. She'd beaten a Frontier Brain not once, but twice! Luck, skill, whichever. She'd done it!

"Congratulations…" Hikari stopped her mental victory dance as Azami's voice met her ears. With one last thank you, she recalled Etebosu and turned to face the older woman, a large grin on her face. "Here…" Hikari accepted the Gold Luck Symbol, quickly putting it in the case she'd received when she first arrived.

"Thanks! It was a really fun battle. I thought you had me for a while." Azami said nothing, merely looking over the younger girl before her. Feeling suddenly self-conscious under the beautiful woman's scrutiny, she giggled nervously and scratched her head. "Um, is there something on my face or…something?" Azami shook her head, a peculiar look in her crimson eyes.

"You are different, somehow, from the others. I cannot explain it… Where are you from, and what is your age?" Different? Her? She didn't understand it, but she couldn't be rude…

"I'm from Futaba Town in Shinou, and I'm eleven. …Why?" Azami nodded, as if expected the answers.

"We don't get many people from Shinou here… Trainers there must be very strong if they're anything like you." Hikari found herself laughing a bit at that. After all that, Azami was saying _she_ was strong? And there she'd been thinking Azami was all about luck…

"Nah, I'm not really a trainer. I'm a coordinator actually." If anything, Azami just looked _more_ impressed by that fact.

"Is that so… Houen only has one contest hall these days, but it's only a boat ride away."

"Really? That's cool," Hikari said, an excited sparkle in her eyes. "I've gone through all the contests in Shinou, so maybe I should come here next… Then I could see you more too…" Azami cocked a brow at her last statement, not missing the slight flush settled on her cheeks.

"Hmm, you're a bit younger than most people who come in here and flirt with me…" The tone of the girl's cheeks suddenly deepened at least ten shades, and her jaw dropped in disbelief. How…? But before she had a chance to say anything, Azami gently grabbed her chin, forcing their eyes to meet. "But that's all right…"

Hikari figured that most girls her age had never been kissed. Or if they had, it was a little peck on the lips by a boy their age. Therefore, as she saw it, she was leaps and bounds ahead of the rest of her peers, because… Damn, Azami could _kiss_. Flesh upon flesh, a warm tongue gently probing her slacken jaw, her own tongue hesitantly moving against the invader, oh yes…if this was what kissing Azami was like, she had no complaints.

"The boat ride to Minamo City is only a day away. Stay here with me for a while…you intrigue me. I felt a pull of attraction to you the moment I saw you. I must know why."

Such a request… Should she? A gorgeous woman was asking her to leave her home, her friends, after only seeing her twice and kissing her once, but offering the start of something that could be beautiful. Could she take that chance? What if things went wrong? She closed her eyes for a moment and thought, but in the end there really wasn't anything to think about. She already knew her answer.

"I—"

* * *

A slight breeze blew Hikari's hair about on the ship bound for Kissaki City. In a little less than a week, she'd be home in Shinou…

"I can't believe you're leaving! What'll I do, huh?" She laughed at Jun's indignant tone, while Kouki, on the blond's other side, rolled his eyes.

"She's mastered all the contests at home. Why _wouldn't_ she leave?" Jun opened his mouth, probably ready with three dozen reasons, when Hikari piped in.

"I think you can handle me being away for a while. Besides, you can see me when your dad comes back for that tournament they agreed on. You never leave his side after all…in fact, why aren't you with him right now?" That certainly did the trick, as second's later, there was one less preteen on the deck.

"…What's up with him?" Hikari merely laughed again, rather enjoying his ignorance. Kouki obviously wasn't very insightful when it came to relationships…

'_Just a few weeks and I'll be living in Houen with Azami… I really don't know how it'll work out, but I'm definitely gonna try my best!_'

Sure, Hikari was skilled when it came to battling, but perhaps she was lucky too…at least where love was concerned.


End file.
